Carjacking victim lost mate too

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

The fatal beating of a 71-year-old man came only days after his longtime companion died while awaiting organ transplants, family members said Sunday.

Before he was attacked Friday evening, Leodis Norwood went to the Ford Credit Union to withdraw money so he could pay for his grandchildren to come to the Saturday funeral of his companion, Gladys McWilliams, who had been waiting for organ transplants, family members said.

Police have no suspects in custody for the incident that occurred about 7:45 p.m. Friday in the 9100 block of South Lafayette Avenue in Chicago.

Officers said Norwood was beaten, dragged by the car and left for dead on the street.

Norwood, who lived with McWilliams in the 9300 block of South Stewart Avenue, was pronounced dead about 40 minutes later at Advocate Trinity Hospital.

Clifton Norwood, Norwood's younger brother, said the two had been together for more than a decade. For the last month or so, Leodis Norwood had been McWilliams' support as she waited for a kidney and liver donor Clifton Norwood said.

Clifton Norwood said his older brother, who had worked for Ford Motor Co. for 35 years, was always helping others in the community, including providing financial support.

"He didn't have any reason to die like that," Clifton Norwood said. "He was too nice to people."